Devastating floods in Nepal, which wrecked hydropower dams and obliterated a critical bridge linking the country to China, have laid bare the fragility of South Asia’s infrastructure in the face of escalating climate change. The July 8 Bhotekoshi River flood killed nine people, damaged 10 hydropower facilities capable of powering 600,000 homes, and destroyed an inland container depot vital for Nepal-China trade. A smaller flood on July 30 further damaged roads and structures, compounding the region’s woes.

Nestled in the Himalayas, Nepal faces heightened risks from heavy rains, floods, and landslides, as the region warms faster than the global average due to human-driven climate change. Experts warn that historical data no longer predicts future risks, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe. “The old playbook for infrastructure risk is obsolete,” said John Pomeroy, a hydrologist at the University of Saskatchewan. “Future risks are higher, demanding smarter rebuilding.”

The floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa region, north of Kathmandu, disrupted $724 million in annual trade with China, halting livelihoods for workers, truck drivers, and hotel operators. The Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge, previously rebuilt for $68 million after a 2015 earthquake, was again destroyed, highlighting inadequate flood risk planning. Local resident Urken Tamang, a parking attendant and tea shop owner, lamented the loss of income, noting the region’s slow recovery from the 2015 quake was undone by the floods.

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Climate experts urge resilient rebuilding, incorporating multi-hazard risk assessments, early-warning systems, and, where necessary, relocating infrastructure. “Rebuilding in the same disaster-prone spots is insanity,” Pomeroy said. Bipin Dulal from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development emphasized that current environmental assessments in South Asia often overlook extreme flood risks, advocating for a new framework to guide planners.

South Asia faced 167 disasters in 2024, causing over $32 billion in losses, per the University of Louvain’s Emergency Events Database. Nepal’s infrastructure, valued at $124 billion, risks massive annual losses without resilience investments, according to the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Experts like Ramesh Subramaniam stress that investing in adaptation now could save billions, as global efforts like the UN’s 2023 climate loss and damage fund, with $348 million, fall short of needs.

In Rasuwa, fear lingers among residents. “The river is calm now, but the worry remains,” said local official Kaami Tsering, reflecting the region’s anxiety over recurring disasters.

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